Lesson 5: Elijah & Ahab

Jeroboam22 years BC Nadab2 years BC Baasha24 years BC Elah2 years BC Zimri7 days885 BC Omri12 years * BC Ahab22 years BC

Rehoboam17 years BC Abijah (Abijam)3 years BC Asa41 years BC Jehoshaphat*25 years BC

“My God is Jehovah/L ORD ”

E LIJAH L AST W EEK (1 K INGS 17-18) Chapter 17: Chapter 18: L ORD heard his prayer & stopped rain (1 cf. James 5) The ravens commanded to provide for him (3-5) Widow in Zarephath was commanded to provide for him (8-9) The L ORD heard his prayer to raise the widow’s son(21- 22) Obadiah provided shelter, food & water for prophets (13) The L ORD answers his prayer on Mt. Carmel (36-39) L ORD answered his prayer for rain (45 cf. James 5) Hand of the L ORD was on Elijah (18:46)

8 Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that He would have destroyed you. 9 When I went up to the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the LORD had made with you, then I remained on the mountain forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water. 10 The LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God; and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. Deuteronomy 9: Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” Matthew 17:1-5 1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. Matthew 4:1-2 Jezreel Beersheba 5 The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. 6 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; 7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” Exodus 34:5-7

A PPLICATIONS 2013: 1. Even the “greats” need encouragement Luke 22: The Lord gives nourishment and encouragement Matthew 4:4; 6: There’s work to do Titus 2:14

22 YEARS BC 1 K INGS 16:29-22:402 C HRONICLES 18

A HAB VS B EN -H ADAD (1 K INGS 20:1-25) Beh-Hadad of Aram/Syria with 32 other kings (1-12) Now a prophet approached Ahab (13-) “Behold I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the L ORD ” Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel (22) Strengthen yourself and get ready b/c Aram is coming again What’s Aram’s reasoning for the defeat? (23) Their God is the god of the plains

A HAB VS B EN -H ADAD A 2 ND T IME (1 K INGS 20:26-43) Israel is severely outnumbered (27) Then a man of God came near to the king of Israel (28) “…You shall know that I am the L ORD ” Ahab spares Ben-Hadad (31-34) What does he call him? Brother: fought with him in battle of Qarqar (853 BC) Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets…(35-43) “You’re life for his life, and your people for his people” King of Israel left sullen and vexed (43)

A PPLICATIONS The Lord repeatedly shows Himself (Psalm 19:1-4) 5. We can’t be merciful when God demands judgment

N ABOTH ’ S V INEYARD (1 K INGS 21:) Jezebel takes care of the situation (5-16) Also killed the sons of Naboth (2 Kings 9:26) The consequence: (16) Dogs will lick his blood in the same place as Naboth (19) His house will be like Jeroboam and Baasha (22-24) No one did evil like Ahab (25-26) Because of his wife Jezebel Ahab humbles himself and God acknowledges it (27-29)

A PPLICATIONS You reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7-8) 7. May we be blameless like Naboth (Philippians 2:14-15)

1 K INGS 22; 2 C HRON J EHOSHAPHAT, A HAB, E LIJAH & E LISHA